Integrated loudness (LUFS) is the average level across the whole track, weighted the way human hearing perceives it. Streaming platforms use this figure to decide whether to turn your track down. The measurement standard is ITU-R BS.1770 — the same one broadcasters and streaming services rely on.
True peak (dBTP) is the maximum signal level including inter-sample peaks that appear during D/A conversion and encoding. A regular peak meter cannot see them, so a file that looks safe can still clip on a listener's phone.
Loudness range (LRA) is the spread between quiet and loud sections. It shows whether the track still has dynamics or has been flattened into a line.
How to read your numbers
For streaming, aim for about −14 LUFS and true peak no higher than −1 dBTP. An LRA around 3 LU means heavy compression — normal for dance music, but a loss of expression for a ballad or acoustic track.
If loudness is well above the target, the platform will turn it down automatically and the track will sound quieter than you intended. If true peak exceeds −1 dBTP, AAC or Opus encoding can introduce distortion even when the source file sounds clean.
What to do next
A deviation of a couple of decibels from the target usually needs no fix. A large loudness overshoot is better corrected in the mix balance than with a limiter — a limiter pushes every element at once and cannot separate kick from vocal.